How Ruto cheerleaders are fuelling anger, public disaffection

 President William Ruto presides over the 2024 Jamhuri Day Celebrations held at Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Lang'ata, Nairobi County. [PCS]

The more President William Ruto’s cheerleaders open their mouths to win trust, the more they invite criticism and public resentment against the Kenya Kwanza administration.

In the name of defending Ruto and the government policies, his allies have ended up antagonising some Kenyans the more because of utterances which some considered insensitive.

In some extreme cases some vulgar and derogatory remarks have been made in the presence of the Head of State.

The latest to invite ridicule from members of the public is Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi, who recently urged Ruto’s critics to leave the country if they were dissatisfied.

“Those coming (foreigners) say Kenya is a good country… but Kenyans are there complaining and not going away. If Kenya is bad why not leave. What are you doing here at a bad place? Disappear,” said Elachi during a church service attended by the President.

Elected on an ODM ticket, Elachi has occupied the front seats in the team of Ruto defenders, teaming up with her Azimio colleagues such as National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed, and Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho and Makadara MP George Aladwa.

Others in the government who have been vocal in defense of the President but ended up exacerbating the situation include National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, Ruto’s Economic advisor Moses Kuria and David Ndii, the chairperson of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Ichung'wah, while defending the government’s vaccination programme, said the critics required the vaccine to stop them from "farting".

“If there is a vaccine that stops farting, I think it should be given to those farting matters that they don’t understand. Someone who doesn’t have a cow is farting that the vaccination is for preventing cows from farting,” he said in December.

The President himself, angered by the criticism, called the critics "stupid".

"Anybody opposing vaccination to eliminate FMD and PPR is simply mad and unreasonable and possibly stupid," he said.

Ruto’s allies, while reacting to narratives on social media that the President would be the first to serve for one term only, indicated they would do anything to win the 2027 elections. 

"Wewe umewahi kusikia wapi mtu amekuwa rais term moja? Hakuna mahali Ruto anaenda… Hata kama hazitoshi, tutaongeza. (Have you ever heard a person who became a President for one term? Ruto is going nowhere, even if the votes will not be enough, we shall improvise).”

A group of legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Rongai MP Paul Chebork, Mogotio MP Reuben Kiborek and Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap, while attending a service at the Kiamunyi AIC in Rongai, Nakuru County, seconded Sudi’s remarks

"We will do everything possible to secure the president’s second term," said Chebork.

Tiaty MP William Kamket has also bashed Ruto’s critics, threatening to push for reforms to extend his term to 24 years.

“People should stop the pride. You are a President rightfully elected, sit on that seat well. In the second term you will be elected and you will bounce back like electricity. If they joke, you know I come from the county of 24 years,” he said.

Sirisia MP John Waluke took a tribal line while dismissing claims of abductions.

“There is no abduction in this country, this is only a claim by a certain community that doesn’t want Ruto to be the President. They also want to malign him. You know the community that thinks they are the only ones who are supposed to rule this country. We will not agree with them.”

Ruto’s advisors Kuria and Ndii have also not been issuing remarks that pundits believe are counterproductive.

While reacting to criticism against the Adani-JKIA scandal and claims of conflict of interest, Ndii said on September 15 last year: “Let me restate: We will leave Kenya as corrupt as we found it. On this Sunday, I suggest you contemplate your own life and leave the other sinners to contemplate theirs.”

During the Gen Z protests Ndii mocked protesters insinuating that they were privileged persons arriving at the protests in taxis while holding iPhones and then later dining at KFC restaurants.

Kuria once told off Kenyans who were complaining about fuel prices to drill their own oil wells.

"Ukishinda umesema bei ya mafuta imeongezeka kutoka asubuhi mpaka jioni, si uchimbe kisima chako? (When you keep on complaining that the prices of fuel have gone up, why don't you just drill your own oil well?" he said.

The former CS had earlier infuriated Kenyans who were opposed to the introduction of GMO maize as he announced the government's decision to import 10 million bags.

"By just being in this country, you are a candidate for death. And because there are so many things competing to kill you, there is nothing wrong with adding GMOs to that list."

Dr Kamau Wairuri, a political scientist and researcher, notes that such utterances are detrimental to the President’s re-election game plan.

“It is a misguided and miscalculated approach because every single day the government loses credibility when they (allies) open their mouths to speak. They keep confirming to Kenyans that this leadership is not suitable to run the country which is unfortunate since we still have two and half years to the next elections,” he argues.

“That means that we are a country that is wasting time even as our challenges compound. Kenyans are suffering on the issues of health care and cost of living. To then see the arrogance that led to Gen Z protests is to say that the politicians are not willing to learn anything and they can’t think that we operate in a dictatorial political system."

Gitile Naituli, professor of management and leadership, says the negative response from the government defenders could be interpreted as panic.

“After realising that they may not deliver any of their promises to Kenyans, they have resulted to insults and threats to suspend the Constitution. Unfortunately, their efforts will not be realized because Kenyans are wiser and vigilant,” he says.

However, Ann Wairimu, a government supporter from Kiambu, notes that Kenyans were only focusing on "trivial issues" rather than crediting the government for its achievements, such as the housing scheme and the Social Health Authority.